Bee season is among us! When bees present a problem around your home or business we can treat and/or remove and relocate the bee hive. At Tri-X Pest Management, we pride ourselves on our eXcellent service while being responsible to our environment and protecting beneficial insects when all possible.
Bees play a vital role in our environment. They buzz around our gardens pollinating flowers and trees that provide food and shelter for other insects. Without bees, the biodiversity of our ecosystem would suffer drastically. While many bees are not aggressive or harmful, the may build their hive too close to our homes causing conflict. There are several species of bees that call Nevada home. Identifying the species and the signs of infestation can help you avoid being stung while safely relocating the hive.
Africanized bees
“Killer Bees” as they are known, arrived in the united states in the late 1980s. They can be identified by their golden yellow color and dark brown bands. They are similar to domestic honey bees except for their defensive nature. Africanized bees are more defensive than other species of bees and as a result are more likely to sting. They tend to have more “guard” bees in their hive as well as a larger defensive area around their hives.
Honey Bees
Honey Bees are less defensive than Killer bees. In fact, they are very social insects. They are known for the honey that they produce. They look similar to Africanized bees, although the males do not have stingers.
Bumble Bees
Bumble Bees can be identified by their distinctive black and yellow color. Bumble bees are responsible for much of the pollination that occurs, though they do not produce any honey themselves. Bumble bees can be identified by the loud buzzing that they produce.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter Bees get their name from their dwelling. Carpenter Bees drill into dead wood and make their nest there. They resemble Bumble Bees but fly faster in zig-zag patterns. To avoid an infestation it is recommended that planks of wood be stored away somewhere sheltered.
Leafcutter Bees
Leafcutter bees are solitary bees that neither make hives or honey! Instead they are great pollinators and are very important to our ecosystem. Because they collect pollen dry (as opposed to wet, like Honey Bees), Leafcutter bees are very valuable to gardens and greenhouses.